I took some time to create this long weekend, using the new September Sketch from Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine. This is my daughter with one of her best friends. These two rollick and laugh and talk full throttle in alphabets ("Hey BFF! I'll BRB. BTW, here's a cool...") the whole time they are together. Their energy is contagious and I love how their stream of consciousness interaction draws me into the moment, and out of my list head. I hope to see what you create using the sketch too (Michelle, Sandy, Mei, Carla, Wendy, Mickey, Margaret, etc- you know who you are and I AM talking to you in particular!!!)

I had fun with my spellbinders dies creating these flowers. I used Bazzill patterned paper- the kind with an almost tissue like texture. I folded the sheet into thirds and could then cut three sets of flowers at a time. The little petals curl up so nicely with just the edge of the scissors (kind of like curling ribbon). I originally was going to keep the flowers neutral, but these girls have too colorful personalities for that! So I had to do some last minute coloring. I didn't have spray inks in the colors I wanted, so I just took some of my Close to My Heart Dye inks and wiped the pads on a piece of wax paper. I then spritzed the ink puddle with Vanilla smooch and dabbed the color onto the flowers with an ink applicator. Ta Dah! Shimmery flowers in the colors I needed!

It was easy to match the little birdies- I just used the same inks:0)

And now for a little story behind the page. This is my current scrap area. It is in our living room, because we are doing some renovations downstairs where I usually scrap. A door was moved, so drywall dust is everywhere...

This is my scrap space right now. We are getting ready to paint, so everything is moved to the center of the room, away from the walls. Although Avery keeps her toys down here, no one but me really hangs out in this space.

Look! A stash of scrappy things like an oasis in the middle of chaos.

This is the closet where my scrap stuff usually lives. The corners are cut in with the new color. I have a shoe holder on the door for little odds and ends.

This is the counter where all my tools live, ready to use. Where is everything, you might ask?

In the garage of course!!!! This is the shelf that lives in the about-to-be-painted closet.

This is the sad pile of scrappy stuff, waiting for it's refreshed home!

So. Scrapping is an extra adventure these days! It was entertaining to search for things I had in the garage or the pile of chaos downstairs. But I am excited, for it will all be worth it when we have a great family room set up, complete with scrap space. I have found that I don't like to be isolated from the rest of my family to scrapbook and this set up is greatly anticipated! Until then, I think I get bonus points for extreme scrapbooking!